Secrets of the Mansion
by Ifritus
Summary: Post Meteor. The gang take permanent refuge in ShinRa Mansion. When a hidden door in the basement opens after a huge tremor shakes the Manor, it leaves the walls and the people inside it feeling like they are not alone ...


Authors Notes:  
Hey everyone ! This is my first fan-fiction so don't be slapping me for any mistakes or anything I make. Just a quick note first. Microsoft Word on my laptop doesn't have a spellchecker for whatever messed up reason. If you find any mistakes don't bite my head off, just email/instant message/carrier pigeon me a note telling me where I've messed up. 

Disclaimer:

As much as I want to own these characters, I don't. They are copyright of Square.

Secrets of the Mansion – Chapter One – Sleepy Tenants... 

Sitting on a gargoyle with his cape swaying in the night breeze, he inhaled deeply. The air felt cool against his pale skin, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. He took a last look out at the horizon before he turned in. Mist covered the earthy floor of Nibleheim and flowed freely like water, tonight it was noticeably thicker than normal. Raising an eyebrow in thought, the daywalker rose and made his way to the door.

"I wonder..." whispered Vincent as he closed it behind him and floated down the spiral staircase to his coffin room. In a few hours the light of day would flood the world.

Cloud was the first to wake up. He lay there for a short while trying to remember where he was when he realised he wasn't alone in his bed. Tifa mumbled in her sleep and tightened her grip around his waist. He breathed a sigh of relief when everything made sense to him again. Cloud chose his moment in front of the wooden well when they all returned to Nibleheim to set his heart free. He had sat with Tifa and poured his feelings out after bordering on insanity with his secret eating away at his soul. He expected to be rejected but Tifa confessed she returned his love and from then on they were together. The clouds parted sunlight poured through the window, shining directly on Tifa's face. She scrunched up her nose and eyes and finally awoke from the warmth. She looked up and smiled at Cloud sleepily and stroked his bare chest with her hand.

"Sleep well?" she said quietly.

"Next to you, who wouldn't?" he replied.

She giggled and rose up to kiss him. He returned it and ran his hands through her silky dark hair. He moved to get out of bed but Tifa wouldn't let him. Putting pressure on his chest he found he was unable to move. Looking down he was confronted with Tifa's."it isn't time to get up yet because I want to stay in bed for a little while longer with my little soldier" face. Smiling he slid back under the covers and she rested her head on his chest.

He stroked her neck and closed his eyes, wishing they could stay like that forever.

Sounds of a gang of sleepy people (and animals) filled the corridors of Shinra Mansion. Vincent was the first to wake and immediately resumed his place on the gargoyle facing the village. That night he was awoke by a low humming noise from somewhere within that walls of the mansion, he started looking for the source but was unable to locate it's source. He knew every inch of his home... didn't he? These thoughts nagged him as the villagers began to open their shops and set up their stalls in the square.

"Watch it kid!" bellowed Barrett, almost flattening Yuffie as he sprinted down the corridor to the bathroom. She sidestepped to let him past and laughed at him when he discovered it was being used by Nanaki. Barrett danced on his tiptoes grabbing his crotch in unbearable discomfort. He heard the sound of the toilet being flushed and soon after Nanaki emerged, licking his lips. Barrett rushed in but stopped suddenly.

"Did you... did you just use the toilet or drink from it?" he asked.

"I'll leave that to your imagination, human." Nanaki replied.

"Argh! Godamned dog!" shouted Barrett and slammed the door behind him.

Nanaki chuckled to himself as he trotted down the hall to the kitchen. Out of nowhere Cait Sith (the cat without the Mog!) dived on Nanaki's back.

"Giddy Up Horsie!" he shouted and grabbed onto his carriers fur. He tugged at the tufts of flame red hair and dug his soft petite feet into Nanaki's ribs. He shrugged his shoulders and tore down the corridor with Cait clinging on for dear life. When he stopped at the kitchen his passenger got down shakily from his carriage.

"Eurgh... guess that's no breakfast for the fortune teller today..." clutching his stomach.

Nanaki grinned and took his place at the table. He almost choked on his own laughter when Cid appeared in full chef ensemble, large white hat included.

"$%&#! I knew I shouldda just microwaved some waffles!" he shouted when the pan spat bacon fat at him. He hopped on the spot rubbing his bare arm where the fat had burned him and cursed loudly at the open flames of the oven hob.

Once again Vincent found himself looking out onto the village. People were just emerging from their houses and getting about their business. He noticed that it was always the same gargoyle he sat on everyday. Thinking he would be a rebel and break the norm he glided across to a gargoyle on the west side. He landed slowly and carefully on the head of the stone beast. Something felt strange about the ledge he was now standing on, moments later the gargoyle snapped in half but did not fall. Vincent slid down the spine of the creature and grabbed ahold around its neck. He closed his eyes expecting to fall but for some reason he didn't. He twisted his head around and the eyes of the rocky animal were glowing red. He hung there motionless for a few moments before pulling himself back onto the balcony. He squinted at the village but was almost thrown from his spot by a vibration that shook the entire mansion.

The dining room was a flurry of activity. The tremor had shaken every surface of every room, causing mass confusion and panic. Cait Sith nearly choked on his bacon and in his panic he knocked his coffee onto Yuffie's lap. Yuffie shrieked in pain which caused Barrett to drop his pancake onto Nanaki's face. Nanaki, in his confusion, ran straight forward into Cid's legs, who in turn dropped the pan full of sausages onto the floor.

"GOD $%&#ING DAMNIT THE FOOD !!!" he screeched.  
Eventually everyone managed to get back on their feet and sort themselves out when Vincent, Cloud and Tifa appeared at the door. They didn't look happy.

"Everyone, listen up," Vincent said. "When I first came to this mansion and I was deserted. All the time I had to myself I spent exploring the manor. In the end I thought I knew every secret passage and hidden pathway. It appears that I was wrong, the massive vibration we all felt was a wall in the basement moving..."

Well that's the first chapter, I might continue finishing it if I get positive feeback. I hope you like it ! Over and out – Ifritus (-) 


End file.
